May 14, 2025
ankyou cafe!!!
seen from China
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ankyou cafe!!!
omg hazama pfp …. trick or treat zainaaa <33 :]
Lee!!! Here’s a candy for you!! 🍫 And yes I’m honoring Hazama in the last few days of October lololol
…
“Aw, yeah! It’s pizza party time!” Muramatsu cheered, slapping his palm against his desk rather loudly.
Hazama rolled her eyes and thwacked him lightly with her gothic paperback. “It’s pizza, not gold.”
“Speak for yourself,” Yoshida snarked, turning around to face them and rubbing his palms together. “I even skipped lunch because I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”
“Same!” Terasaka chimed in, doing the same hand motion. “We didn’t do all that extra help in the classroom earlier for nuthin’.”
Besides him, Karma didn’t even bother to hide his snicker. “You have no idea how stupid you look right now.”
“Shut it, Karma!”
“If I knew pizza was all it took to turn you into a feral, brain dead zombie, I would’ve brought you some way sooner. You know, so you can be a better minion.”
“That’s it,” Terasaka growled, raising his fist. “Shu-!”
“PIZZA’S HERE, EVERYONE!” An obnoxious yet familiar voice sang, breaking the room into a silent pause. Korosensei glided over to his desk and rested the boxes onto the surface, his bright yellow tentacles waving around nonsensically.
“Aw yea- wait,” Kimura scrunched his nose in confusion. “Where’s the rest of it?”
There were only two medium-sized boxes.
“O-oh, erm…” Korosensei chuckled, turning a shade of pink. “That’s all Sensei can afford right now…hehehe….”
The room erupted in chaos.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS?!”
“WE’RE ALMOST THIRTY PEOPLE!”
Korosensei burst into tears, immediately covering his face with his tentacles. “I’M TRYING MY BEST! YOU KNOW SENSEI LOVES YOU VERY MUCH!”
“Clearly not enough!” Terasaka snapped.
“NOOOOOOOO I DO!”
Muramatsu frowned, eyeing the size of the boxes. He turned to Karma. “Hey, math genius. Do you think that’ll feed all of us?”
“What do I look like, your calculator?”
“God, you’re such a dick.”
The classroom has devolved into utter chaos as Korosensei continued to cry and wave his tentacles everywhere, Kimura offered to run and pick up more boxes of pizza, Kataoka swiftly reminded him they were on top of a mountain, Ritsu sacrificed her slice since she’s virtual, then Sugaya told her she wouldn’t get one in the first place, and then Ritsu started crying.
Karasuma rubbed his temple, feeling a pounding migraine come on. “OKAY ENOUGH. I’ll cut the slices for everyone myself, and next time we have pizza, I’ll make sure that oaf doesn’t buy it.”
Hearts appeared in Kurahashi’s eyes. “Mr Karasuma, you hero!”
“Yes thank you, Mr Karasuma!” Korosensei cried, holding his tentacles in a heart shape.
Karasuma sighed and pulled out a normal knife from the inside sleeve of his jacket.
After about ten minutes, Muramatsu stared down disappointingly at the tiny sliver of a pizza slice on his plate. “I think my thumb is wider than this slice.”
“Mine definitely is,” Terasaka grumbled, picking his slice up. It was comical really, how much larger his hand was.
“Why did I skip lunch for this again?” Yoshida groaned.
“I could say why, but then I’d just be repeating myself again,” Hazama said before passing her plate to Yoshida.
He looked incredulous. “For me?”
“Yeah dumbass since you didn’t eat any lunch at all. Take it.”
Yoshida grinned. “Thanks, Hazama.”
“Don’t mention it.” She went back to her book, but not before showing a tiny smile herself.
Terasaka chewed thoughtfully and glanced at Karma’s uneaten slice. “Are you gonna eat yours or what?”
The delinquent was rummaging through his desk, his head bowed while he searched. “Yes.”
“Well, what are you doing?”
“None of your bu- oh, here it is.” He pulled out a small spice container from his desk.
Terasaka squinted, reading the label. “Chili flakes? Why the fuck do you have chili flakes in your desk?”
“I don’t live by your standards,” Karma replied casually, sprinkling a generous amount over his minuscule pizza slice.
“Whatever.” Terasaka rolled his eyes. “This class is weird as hell.”
Assassination Classroom Student Tournament
Round 2 Match 4
Who should advance?
Chiba Ryuunosuke
Yada Touka
rio, to karma: i dare you to—
gakushuu: karma isn’t allowed to accept dares.
karma: apparently I have "no regard for my personal safety"
Sorry that I haven't been active for a while. So please accept this gift. It's a collage of all the characters that I love dearly. Enjoy ❤, (I forgot to edit Juzas and forgot to put Hazama, I am sad 😖)
English is Hard, Okay?
Assassination Classroom
Hey peeps! This was a Karma x Reader fic requested by this anon:
oh my gosh I got this out so late I’m so sorry man
I’m sorry it took this long to get out, there were a bunch of family issues that arose this month and school has been relentless. The reader in this story is gender neutral because you didn’t specify, I hope that’s alright. I haven’t written in a long time and this is my first t-fic, so I apologize if this is bad! I hope you like it! (English is in bold)
Warnings: None! Just fluffy times ahead :)
Word count: 1.3k
~~~~~
It was mid-October, fall in full swing. The leaves crunched under your feet as you made your way up the mountain. It had rained the night prior, so the air was a bit muggy but still crisp and it smelled of fog and morning dew. The earth was soft on the incline up to the 3-E building and your shoes were getting a bit muddy but you didn’t care, you and other things to worry about, like your test today. Koro-sensei had been holding after school study sessions, but you still didn’t feel prepared, English had always been your worst subject and that wasn’t changing anytime soon.
As you entered the building, the old floorboards creaking under your steps, you spotted Karma sitting on the splintered oak stairs to the training grounds. You set your bookbag on your desk near the back next to Ritsu who gave you a happy wave and logged off. Karma’s handheld console chirped from where he was sitting, and you decided to make your way over to the red-haired boy.
He must have won whatever he was playing because he punched the air and a satisfied grin played onto his lips. You tried to sneak up on him, feet carefully avoiding the crunchy auburn leaves scattered about the slope of the hill. Right as you were about to jump him he grabbed your ankle and wrist and slightly twisted, but not enough to hurt as a playful spark danced in his eyes.
“Good morning to you too (Y/N), you usually aren’t here this early,” he says as he releases you and pats the seat beside him on the stairs. You smooth out your skirt, and sigh, lips pursed in a reply.
“I’m worried about the English test, I studied all weekend but I’m not sure if it will pay off, you know? My parents will be mad if my progress doesn’t improve and this is a huge chunk of our grade and-“
He reached out and pinched the back of your neck, making you yelp and whip your head at him with a frown, your lip quirked up a bit on the right side. He gave you a small smile and placed his hand on your shoulder and squeezed.
“Don’t stress about it, you’ll be fine, (Y/N). You didn’t fall asleep in class as much this week, so you’ll at least make a decent score,” he looked at you teasingly and you rolled your eyes, knowing he was joking. But still, it didn’t make you any less relieved. You slumped into your knees and blew a stray hair out of your face and avoided his gaze. You had been good friends with Karma since grade school, and you knew he was silently rooting you on, even though he didn’t show it in a conventional way. But for now, you decided to ignore him and drill sentence structures in your head.
Karma hummed and put his game on the step below him, now moving to focus on you. Your shoulders were still tense and your eyebrows were scrunched in a mix of worry and concentration. Karma waved a hand in front of your face and looked at your stone expression with a scowl but you still didn’t pay attention to him. How to get your attention on relaxing and off of the foreign language…. There’s always one thing I could try, it always works on Nagisa when he’s being mopey, he thought as he moved his index fingers on either side of your exposed ribs.
As he poked your lower ribs, you felt laughter start to rise in your chest and you struggled to keep a straight face. You weren’t going to give in though. As he switched from poking to raking up and down your sides however, you clamped a hand around your mouth and tried to bat away his hands. He chuckled and drilled his knuckles into your top ribs and thumbs below your shoulder blades, one of your death spots which caused loud giggles to escape and you to wiggle in his hold.
“Karmahaha quihiihiht ihihihit!” You squealed, and he laughed along with you, a smirk growing on his face as his cartoon devil horns materialized.
“What? Can’t take a little old fashioned medicine, (N/N)? People say it’s the best for a case of the worry warts,” he teased as he shot his wiggling fingers into your armpits.
“THat’S nOhoOhot aHaHA REaL tHIHiNg,” you protested through squeaks and laughter as his fingers danced in your hollows.
“Of course it is silly, we learned about it a couple weeks ago when Okuda was out for the flu, don’t you remember? It’s just getting to be that kind of year you know,” he remarked calmly as if he didn’t have a hysterical giggling classmate below him. He switched from drilling his fingers into your arms to scribbling around your neck which caused you to squeal and scrunch your shoulders.
“EHEEHeheHHe KAhHarMaHaHaAaAAAA GEheHET ouT,” you cried as he dug deeper into your neck and collarbones.
“I have to check your lymph-nodes, you might have a cold! Your face is quite red and you might have fever, so I’m taking necessary precautions.” He latched his fingers onto the hyper-ticklish spot where your jaw met your neck and gave it gentle scritches, he knew how this made you go crazy and your laughter went up an octave as he predicted it would.
“Wooooow (Y/N), you’re way too ticklish here. You must have a cold or else you wouldn’t be laughing this much.”
“I’HIHIHM NOHOHOT SIHIHIHICK, DOHOOHOHON’T DOOOHOHOO THAHAHHAT!”
“Do what?” He asked innocently, reverting to light traces on the shells of your ears.
“TIHICKLE MEEHEHE,” you squeaked out but horror dawned on your face as you realized your mistake.
He shrugged and his signature smirk appeared, “If you insist,” and continued the tortuous scratches. You tried desperately to tug his hands from their position and he loosened his grip, only to move them to your tummy and spider them there, making you erupt into belly laughter and lean back against his shoulder to get away from the tickles.
“Tell you what, if you can say “Karma is the best person ever” in English, I’ll let you go,” he offered, drilling his thumbs into your hips, getting snorts from you.
“IHIIIHIHIHI CAHAHAN’TT!” You replied, twisting and turning to get away from his skilled fingers.
Karma clicked his tounge and started scribbling at your sides again, “Guess I can’t stop then. I could do this aaaaaaaaallll day.”
“OKaY! oKAhAhY! KAhaHrMA ihiS tHehHe bEheEsT peHerSON eHeVeR!” He laughed and put an arm around your back to help you sit up, your hair a mess and cheeks flushed, tears of mirth staining your cheeks. A smile graced your lips and you bent over and let out residual giggles as he turned to face you with a small smirk.
“I never knew you were that ticklish, (Y/N),” he said teasingly, waiting for you to recover.
“That was brutal. Absolutely brutal,” you said smiling, pointing a finger at his grinning face. Your eyes widened at what you had said, and you smiled realizing that English came easier to you than you thought it did.
Karma’s eyebrows quirked into “I told ya so” and he got up, taking his console with him.
“Class starts soon, hurry up,” he called as he stepped back into the building. You got up and made your way to the classroom, more confident in your abilities and ready to take on the test.
Needless to say, you aced it, and your parents and teacher were proud. When you got it back Karma gave you a small smile that morphed into another smirk as he showed you his score. One. Point. Higher. You rolled your eyes playfully and turned back to the lesson, which was on the mechanics of a Newton’s cradle because Koro-sensei bought one to put on his desk and the students were curious. Another day, another chance, you thought, and schemed a way to study for the next test to blow Karma out of the water.
THE CLIMB - Storyline (Assassination Classroom x Tower of God AU)
Status: to be continuously edited and added until I'm out of ideas
Here it is, the finalized storyline. Just like the actual Tower of God series, this AU also has 3 parts. But I've only managed to roughly write out 3/4 of Act 1 (and I still have yet to add details). With Act 2, certain arcs have already been planned through but others have yet to be finalised (ToG Season 2 was mad as hell, I just CAN'T help but to pick out arcs I liked from the original and translate them to an AU with assclass characters). And finally, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do with Act 3 (but one thing's for sure was that Team DREAM as a whole gets their deserved spotlight - I grew a soft spot for them, you see hahaha).
Semi-annually, 1200 people are selected by Headon, the Caretaker of the Tower and the Guardian of the 1st Floor, to climb the Tower as Regulars.
Those Regulars will then be transported to 3 different testing grounds at the 2nd Floor.
So the 1st test at the 2nd Floor will begin with 400 Regulars present at each different testing ground.
The first 3 tests will all be elimination-types. The first elimination test will be: Narrow the number down from 400 to 200 by using any means.
Nagisa and Karma formed a truce then found Sugino while trying to stray away from the bloodied battlefield.
Chiba managed to prevent Nakamura and Maehara from killing each other when the test was about to be done.
The second elimination test will be: the remaining 200 Regulars must form a team of 3. Those who fail to be in a team will be eliminated.
Known teams in testing ground 1:
Karma, Nagisa, and Sugino
Chiba, Nakamura, and Maehara
Terasaka, Kurahashi, and Mr. Talking Ostrich
Megu, Okajima, and Kazuma
Known teams in testing ground 2:
Isogai, Kanzaki, and Hayami
Yada, Hazama, and Okano
Yoshida, Muramatsu, and Hara
Known teams in testing ground 3:
Mimura, Kimura, and Takebayashi
Sugaya, Fuwa, and Sachiko
Shindou, Satomi, and Kokona
All the formed teams were transported to a new testing area – inside the gigantic mothership that was flying above the field they were all at before.
Chiba then gave a whole detailed rundown about the ruling class of the Tower to Nakamura, who lived somewhere in the Outer Tower (Residential Area) where many cultures normally have little to no awareness about the Royal Empire.
The Tower is currently ruled by King Daigou, who was the first to climb the Tower along with his 10 companions, who then became the Leaders/Heads of the Ten Great Families. They were Irregulars, meaning they were not chosen by Headon but instead had opened the gates to the Tower on their own. Irregulars are basically the Tower's rule-breakers, as they are unimaginably strong since they weren't restricted by the contract of a Guardian of each Floor, which is what Regulars form with them in order to be able to use the shinsu in the Floor they are in. Irregulars come in once every millennium.
It had been several ten thousands of years since King Daigou and the Ten Family Leaders had ruled over the Tower.
The Ten Families are so powerful that they rule over multiple Floors and are either affiliated or founders of certain well-known organizations. Every single descendant of these Family Leaders is blessed with strength, no matter how weak some of them are by their family's standards. Direct Descendants are especially gifted.
Though there are exceptions, the talents of these children usually depend on what their great family is known for - Akatsuki Family for their swordsmanship, Asano Family for their Light Bearers, Seo Family for their Scouts, Shimada Family for their incredible physical strength, Chiba Family for their Wave Controllers, Terushima Family for their mastery of manipulating Shinsu, Tsuchiya Family for having the strongest defensive power, Harukawa Family for their Spear Bearers and Lightning Users, Park Family for their great intellectuality with all researches about the Tower, and Yamazaki Family for their Flame Users.
Regulated by Test Administrator: Takokoro Takoro (Ranker – someone who had climbed the Tower and reached the top. They’re incredibly powerful). He brought his palm out and suddenly everyone was being pushed away by a strong current. Many have already flown towards the very back. While some managed to hold their ground for a couple seconds before the current became even stronger, thus ultimately pushing the rest of them back.
Now there's a thick water-like barrier before all of them, waiting to be crossed.
As the Tower is filled with concentrated shinsu since it's basically its source of life, Regulars should be able to withstand at least a certain amount of concentration in order to ascend the floors. And so, the third elimination test will be: All members in a team must be able to pass through a barrier of high concentrated shinsu made by Takoro. If a member fails, the whole team fails.
The fourth test will be a psychological type, regulated by Test Administrator Irina Jelavic (Ranker): There are 10 identical doors in a room. Open the correct one in under 10 minutes.
Karma: "All of them looked the same to me. There’s no way to tell them apart and figure out which is the right one. So might as well ignore the first rule and just open a door in less than 10 minutes!" (Irina: “I guess that works too…)
Nakamura: "There are no ‘more’ hints..? But you haven’t given us any though."
Maehara: "Wasn’t what she just said a hint..?"
Chiba: "Uhh, those are instructions."
Nakamura: "That would only mean that the hints were already given before we even entered this place… like those unnaturally loud screams after a long time of dead silence from the inside. It was as if you were purposely letting us hear those screams and deduct something from them."
Team Chiba, Nakamura, and Maehara passed the door test after figuring out the whole point of the entire test.
A short break between the continuous tests. Chiba and Kurahashi instantly clicked while getting drinks from the vending machine.
Kurahashi Hinano is a feline person – a humanoid species with feline features and abilities. They tend to be Animas. They populate all the floors that the Chiba Family rules over.
Chiba Ryuunosuke is from the family of Chiba, one of the Ten Great Families that ruled over the Tower. This great family produces the strongest Wave Controllers. They also have the highest number of members.
Because there were too many teams remaining that monitoring their abilities at the same time was becoming too difficult, a bonus test was announced to be taken before the Position Test will begin.
Bonus Test: The Crown Game. Regulated by Test Administrator Karasuma Tadaomi (Ranker). Participation is optional and losing this game doesn’t mean failing the whole floor test. However, whichever team wins are automatically cleared from the entire floor and wouldn’t have to take the remaining tests.
Every Regular from all three different testing grounds will be present in the same testing ground.
Fast forward. Chiba, Nakamura, and Maehara were the team that won the bonus test. It was pure gamble in Nakamura’s part that Chiba has enough tricks up in his sleeve to prevent anyone from taking the crown from him, even if it’s Karma.
Chiba, Nakamura, and Maehara were all guaranteed automatic pass from all the remaining tests and leave the 2nd floor whenever they want.
However, Chiba insisted they stay for a bit to participate in the Position Test even if they won’t actually take the test.
He predicted that Nakamura would either be sorted to the Light Bearer or Scout position and will likely received the basic lighthouse or observer for free if she at least participates in the classes.
The same case for Maehara in the Fisherman position and thus might receive a basic needle for free if he joins the classes.
There are five basic Positions in a battle: Fisherman (Frontline Combat), Light Bearer (Support and Strategy), Scout (Intel and Combat Assist), Spear Bearer (Long Range), and Wave Controller (changing tides of the battle).
Karasuma Tadaomi handles the Fisherman classes
Hanamura Hanayo handles the Light Bearer classes
Irina Jelavic handles the Scout classes
Red Eye handles the Spear Bearer classes
Tadokoro Takoro handles the Wave Controller classes
That friend list assignment that the Scouts would have to fill up in a week, which was what brought a lot of the Regulars to become friends.
Fast forward. About 20 Regulars were guaranteed to pass the Position Test with how high their results are.
Hide and Seek Test. A Ranker (but with high restrictions) will be participating along with the Regulars.
Chiba, Nakamura, and Maehara, who already cleared the entire floor, can only spectate through the screen along with the Test Admins.
Luckily the team that failed was the one where most of the members have high scores in the Position Test, so not too many actually failed the floor.
Final Results were out and plenty have actually failed because some were too injured and some just weren’t competent enough overall.
The Final 2nd Floor Test was a team test, where the remaining Regulars must form a team of their own and take a certain test. It’s either that team passes or not.
4 teams were formed and thus, there will be 4 different tests: a Scavenger Hunt Test, a Lost and Found Test, a Zombie Test, and a Heaven and Hell Test.
3 out of 4 formed teams cleared their respective tests.
An official registration of teams was announced. Line-up changes in teams were made. There is also the option of not choosing a team to join in yet, of course.
Chiba, Nakamura, and Maehara were now included. Team END was formed and registered.
2nd Floor cleared.
They met Okuda Manami on the 3rd Floor.
Yukimura Akari joined Team END at the 5th Floor.
Chiba Ryuunosuke failed to clear the 8th Floor and would have to retake it after 6 months. He insisted Team END not to waste time waiting for him when they could just continue climbing, since he can surely form his own team and easily catch up to them.
Team END arrived at the 10th Floor.
Karma heard about an informant who is supposedly very strong but for some reason chooses to stay at the 10th floor for centuries.
He had plans to recruit said informant into joining Team END but was also curious about why they chose to stay at the 10th floor for so long.
Being a Princess of Daigou is a very big deal, as they are granted a portion of the King’s power, making them even more powerful, and a great amount of authority in the Tower – be it a high position in the empire, access to even the most powerful weapons, or even granted the opportunity to rule a whole Floor to themselves.
Princesses are already extremely strong when in battle that even a single Regular Princess can possibly take down all the other 400 Regulars by herself in a death match. Meanwhile, Princess Candidates, especially the ones who had nearly won their title, are not that much weaker compared to the already selected Princesses.
Ranker and High Ranker Princesses would be unimaginably strong. Two High Ranker Princesses from the Terushima and Yamazaki Families were so strong that they even outranked the majority of the Ten Great Family Leaders in the Tower Rankings (tied at Rank 7th), even if the Princess from the Yamazaki Family had been missing for millennia.
A Princess is selected and born every 300-500 years. They usually come from the Ten Families, but in a rare case would a strong woman from a less noble family would overpower her competitors and win her place.
Tsuchiya Kaho (Position: Light Bearer-Defender hybrid) was the strongest candidate of the previous Princess Selection over 300 years ago, after Chiba Rena Daigou who then became the selected Princess of that time.
Karma attempted to recruit Kaho but was solidly declined.
Kaho remarked that she would’ve considered joining them if the rumoured remarkable Spear Bearer from the Chiba Family was still travelling with them.
Karma instead just requested information about the 10th floor test’s details, which Kaho happily scheduled a meeting with Team END in a couple of days.
Kaho came by the dorm that Team END was staying at. Nagisa opened the door and was about to greet her but remained frozen due to how incredibly powerful the shinsu Kaho was casually exerting.
Maehara stiffened at the sight of Kaho, or specifically, the emerald jewel that was on her hairband. Kaho of course noticed him, even if Maehara didn’t realize it.
Barely minutes after Kaho walked inside their shared apartment, she was already giving pointers to some of the Team END members: like how Hayami would need to have observers instead of a Defender, how the Light Bearers in their team would need to do more snooping to get all the information they need, or the fact that a Light Bearer’s lighthouse can actually amplify a Wave Controller’s baang to make them more powerful and lethal, and etc.
Kaho then specifically called out to Maehara, who flinched.
Kaho: “Even if you have shit control over your lightning shinsu, you can still be flexible enough with how you infuse it onto the weapons you use. Heck, you just have to be flexible with the very weapons that you use and then infuse your lightning onto them. The results may vary but it’ll be fruitful at least.”
Hara served her tea and brought her some sweets, which Kaho highly appreciated.
Kaho then got a sudden call and took it. Team END could only watch nervously as she blows into anger at the caller.
Kaho: “You failed to use your observer to collect such vital information mid battle, even though you claimed to be really good at multi-tasking..? Gosh you’re the most useless Scout I have ever encountered in the near 400 years of my life!”
Kaho: “I’ve had high expectations of you since the Seo Family were known for their talented Scouts and yet you’ve only shown incompetence… I’m starting to believe that the unremarkable male descendants’ syndrome isn’t just limited to the Chiba Family…”
Kaho: “Since you’ve failed from giving me actual data in exchange for floor test Intel, your team is not allowed to leave this floor until I get my 20,000 points payment. Got it?”
After the phone call ended, Okajima asked Kaho about the data gathering assignment she gives to Scouts.
Kaho then explained that there’s a way to receive floor test info from her without having to pay her points for it, and it’s to take the 10th Floor test and retrieve important battle data that Kaho can use as more floor test intel.
Kaho: “You know? Info for info? But naturally, a mere floor test info isn’t just gonna pay up all the Intel you’re gonna get from me. This is just in case you don’t have enough points to pay.”
Not long after, Kaho began relaying information about the 10th Floor test to Team END, sending data to everyone’s pockets, lighthouses, and observers. The more detailed info they want, the higher Kaho will raise the price.
Team END wanted to know the vital weakness of the divine sea creature that they will deal with at the final 10th floor test, but Kaho said the price for that info is very expensive since it would guarantee a floor test clearing.
Naturally, the prize was really expensive that Team END was reconsidering.
But Kaho suggested that they won’t have to pay her points for that vital information if they instead give her as much information they can give about a certain remarkable Spear Bearer from the Chiba Family. Information such as his skills, abilities, background, and… personality.
And so they did, and they got the floor test info they need.
Okajima still insisted that he’ll attempt to look for more useful info about the 10th floor test to give to her. Kaho promised that she’ll return the appropriate amount of points to Team END if he managed to retrieve that data.
He got that data and Team END cleared the 10th Floor with flying colours. Soon after, they went to the 11th Floor, leaving Kaho behind.
The Tower’s Administration Office announced the names of the Regulars who had died while taking floor tests.
One of those names includes Harukawa Kiriya, one of the direct sons of the Harukawa Family Leader, who had died while taking the 10th Floor Test.
Kaho smirks while reading the announcement from her lighthouse.
Kaho: “I told him not to do it since it can get him killed but that arrogance never fails to leave their systems, huh? Now look where that got him. Such a distasteful family indeed.”
She then made a call to Tsuchiya Hibiki, a relative of hers, while going through the opened files on her lighthouse.
Kaho: “One of the few teams that recently cleared this floor just now is called Team END. They have a member named Maehara Hiroto and he’s clearly an illegitimate descendant from the Harukawa Family.”
She quickly sent a file to Hibiki, which is likely accessible information about Maehara, including his photo.
Kaho: “His lightning shinsu may be as strong as a direct Harukawa descendant’s but he lacks control over it and he’s not a Spear Bearer, so he likely isn’t affiliated with that family.”
Kaho: “But just in case, I want you to keep an eye on him until he’s out of our family’s territories. If he shows any suspicions that suggests his affiliation towards that family, let me know about it immediately. I’ll hunt him down myself.”
Surprised, Hibiki asked if Kaho is finally going to start climbing the Tower again.
Kaho: “The current missing princess’s remarkable younger brother is said to be finally arriving. I will be accompanying him from then on.”
Meanwhile, being a member of Julia’s team, Ryuunosuke had just arrived at the 10th Floor.
Chiba: “Ahh I hope I didn’t make her wait for too long…”
Kaho and Chiba had reunited ever since Kaho had been selected as a Regular over 300 years ago.
Kaho then officially joined Julia’s team. But since she had already climbed until the 20th Floor, she wasn’t allowed to take all the upcoming floor tests with the team until they’ve arrived at the 20th floor.
Privately, Kaho advised Chiba to tell Maehara to stop flinching or even just freeze at the sight of any Tsuchiya, since it’ll likely just get him in trouble more than anything. It’s already bad that he looks so much like a Harukawa, illegitimate descendant or not, so it’s advisable to stop flinching whenever he sees a Tsuchiya since it’ll make him look suspicious. Most especially since the Tsuchiya Family rules all over the 16th-29th Floors and thus, those floors are heavily populated by Tsuchiya descendants.
Kaho: “You said that his mother was a Regular who had stopped climbing, right? And that he lived at both the Inner Tower (Regular’s Area) and Middle Area (gate between the Inner and Outer Tower) of the 67th Floor? That suggests that he had nothing to do with the Harukawa Family so he should be safe enough… unless he actually met his father, that is.
Chiba: “He said he never met him. He wasn’t told of what exactly happened but from what he told me, his father supposedly left right before he was born.”
Kaho: “I don’t know what his mother warned him about us for him to freeze at the sight of me, but he’s completely safe if he’s got nothing to do with his father then. While we would still keep watch just in case, the Tsuchiya family don’t really bother with illegitimate Harukawa descendants, let alone kill them.”
Kaho: “Our goal was to not reduce the ever-growing Harukawa population, but rather strip them off their power. Specifically, those who become Rankers with the intention of sharing that power and influence to the Harukawa family as they bear their name.”
Kaho: “Ryuunosuke, your goal was to become a High Ranker, no?”
Chiba: “Yeah, and I feel like that’s also what my family expects from me.”
Kaho: “Naturally, because that would make you the first ever male descendant in your family to become a High Ranker. Since it’s such a big deal, everyone’s eyes are going to be on you if you were to achieve that and I wouldn’t be surprised if your family’s going to milk the hell out of the attention you’d be getting and benefit from it… just like what they did when Rena first became a Princess of Daigou.”
Chiba: “Ugh… that one lasted for years. It doesn’t help that both of our parents are Rankers, heck my mom’s a High Ranker, so even that was bragged about and made it into the headlines!”
Kaho: “Tell me about it… The Harukawa family’s no different for that matter. Shit, I think they’re even worse.”
Chiba: “Oh they’re definitely worse.”
Kaho: “With that thought in mind, if an illegitimate descendant has plans to join the Harukawa family when they’re becoming a Ranker or close to becoming one, that’s when we get rid of them. If your dear friend shows no such interest even after he had climbed so far high up, our family will definitely leave him alone. So don’t worry too much.”
The hatred between the Tsuchiya and Harukawa Families was so strong that killing and assassinating is even involved. Tsuchiya Kaho was promised to be fully forgiven by the entire Tsuchiya Family for failing to become a Daigou Princess if she managed to kill at least one member of the Harukawa Family on her own throughout her climb at the Tower.
The Harukawa Family was infamous for the womanizing tendencies of their male descendants, a reminiscent of their Family Head, Harukawa Izaki, who had many wives. Thus, it’s no surprise that not only does the Harukawa Family has the highest number of existing Family Branches, they’ve also produced the highest number of illegitimate children.
The main reason why the Tsuchiya Family made it their life mission to kill any Harukawa who shows potential or even interest to climb the top of the Tower was to forcibly make the Harukawa Family lose their power and influence by reducing the number of Rankers they will have despite their large number of descendants.
The Harukawa Family also has the same goal but are less successful at achieving it. This is because although they have high attacking power and lethality rate, every single Tsuchiya descendant, direct or not, were all born with incredibly high defensive power that only the most talented Great Family children can break through.
The only reason why the Harukawa Family had never surpassed the Chiba Family in terms of having the greatest number of children was because descendants of their family were actively being killed by certain members of the Tsuchiya Family, which also regulates their population.
Bearing the Tsuchiya Family crest meant being strong and brave enough to carry the burden of the family’s both good and wrongdoings. The crest is immediately obtained when a Tsuchiya successfully killed at least one Harukawa descendant. The crest is an emerald jewel that was attached on any accessory according to the bearer’s personal choice (e.g. Kaho’s hairband). Very few people outside the Tsuchiya Family are aware that a crest-bearing Tsuchiya meant that they have killed a Harukawa.
Maehara was one of those very few people who knew, hence why he froze at the sight of Kaho and her hairband.
Sometime later, Chiba called Team END to give each other updates about their respective progresses.
A little after that, Chiba privately called Maehara and told him what Kaho had warned and reassured him about.
Maehara: “Fuck, so she does know!”
Chiba: “Dude, you look like the typical Harukawa offspring. That yellow lightning isn’t helping either. So is being a playboy.”
The climb resumes.
Julia’s Team:
Nagasawa Julia
Okamoto Akeboshi
Kazukata Shindou
Akatsuki Seria Daigou
Ookuwa Sachiko
Tanaka Kazuma
Mori Mitsuki
Seo Hinagiku
Chiba Ryuunosuke
Tsuchiya Kaho
Kitazawa Ayaka
Park Jungyoon “Masato”
Fukiyose Eiji
Kanemoto Shiori
Tersuhima Daisuke
Shimada Miho
Julia’s team made it to the 20th floor. But because of how the 20th floor tests work, they have to be separated into much smaller teams.
Team DREAM was then formed.
Ryuunosuke, Kaho, Ayaka, Masato, Eiji, Shiori, Daisuke, and Miho
Realizing that a large-member team was just going to hinder them in the future with the way how some floor tests are done, it was decided that the split teams will begin travelling separately.
There were no complaints that Team DREAM consists of 5 different descendants from the great families since Julia’s Team is travelling with a Daigou Princess.
There's the Regulars Ranking which is dependent on what Floor one is on.
F-Rank Regular – those who come into the Tower on the 2nd Floor
E-Rank Regular – those who cleared the 20th Floor
D-Rank Regular – those who cleared the 30th Floor
C-Rank Regular – those who cleared the 50th Floor
B-Rank Regular – those who cleared the 75th Floor
A-Rank Regular – those who cleared the 100th Floor
After clearing the 20th Floor, both Julia’s Team and Team DREAM have become E-Rank Regulars.
Yamazaki Miki officially joined Team DREAM after the 21st Floor Test.
Team END encountered Team ACE at the 16th Floor and was furious that they failed to clear the floor because of them.
Chiba: “O-oh... the 16th Floor you say?”
Nakamura: “What floor are you on now?”
Chiba: “…the 25th Floor.”
Nakamura: “…Ryuunosuke.”
Chiba: “Yeah?”
Nakamura: “The plan was for you to catch up to us… not the other way around.”
Chiba: “...So I’m figuring out a way to persuade my family into getting us a large enough place to house us all at the 30th Floor when we arrive there. If everything worked out, you know where to look for me ahaha…
Team DREAM rushed to the 30th Floor in order to compete at the 30F Workshop Battle, which is an item tournament held for E-Rank Regulars at the Middle Area in every 5 years, with exclusive items made by the Workshop as prizes.
Almost all items and weapons of the Tower are made in the Workshop. Although there's a location on the Middle Area of each Floor, there are only 7 main headquarters and one of them is on the 30th Floor.
The Chiba Family rules all over the floors with the 7 main Workshops, including the 30th Floor.
Chiba Ryuunosuke plans to win the quinquennial Workshop Battle as a way to convince his family into doing a favour for him rightfully.
Chiba: “I may be one of the rarest sons that the Chiba Family have ever produced, having similar privileges as all of my sisters and all, but that doesn’t mean I’d just get everything that I want on a silver platter. And so I thought… If I did something favourable for my family, they might abide by my requests no matter how absurd they can be.”
Kaho: “A favour for a favour..?”
Chiba: “Yep! A favour for a favour.”
Kaho: “Huh. Knowing more and more about your family is starting to make me think that we’re not all that different in the long run.”
Chiba: “Hah. All the Ten Great Families are all just the same from the very beginning… though ours are particularly messed up. Perhaps that’s why there’s a growing alliance going on between them.”
-- (To be added) --